Find a kitchen that fits YOUR life

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOTV) – Who’s in the kitchen?

The kitchen has changed over the years, from a cooks’s work zone to a community space. This means that layouts are getting more open. Kitchens are getting bigger and people are adding more personality to the space. As designers, we need to be aware of how many people you are trying to fit in the kitchen and how it’s being used.

Entertaining kitchen: A kitchen is now an everyday family gathering space. People don’t just pass through here, they linger, chat, sit and snack. Meals are often more casual, and there is a high demand for seating in the kitchen at islands, peninsulas, and buffets. There is also high demand for the kitchen to be the showplace of the home. If everyone is going to congregate there anyway, use it to show off your finest features and a flash of personality.

Multi-cook kitchen: Think back to your grandparents’ kitchen. Who is in there? Probably just your grandma, unless she’s invited you in to sample cookies. Things are no longer the same. With clean living and gourmet cooking moving into the average home, many single- cook zones are becoming multi cook kitchens. If you have routinely have more than one cook in the kitchen, we want to help ensure that you have enough prep space, cooking appliances (double wall oven?), and pass-through space so that things can move smoothly.

Family kitchen: Families with children will need to take into account the dynamic of having lots of people use and abuse the space. Durability is key. You want to get the most out of your investment, so look at high quality product that will last. You will need the hardware, doors and drawers to take a beating weather you have toddlers or teenagers. Consider placing the microwave somewhere everyone can use it (not above the stove). Look at how you shop. Will you need special storage because you buy in bulk? Do you need to have a “snack drawer” or other specialty food storage?

Aging in place kitchen: Let’s face it, you aren’t getting any younger. If you are remodeling to stay for the long haul, don’t forget about what the long haul will bring. You will want easy access to deep cabinets and corner spaces so you don’t have to reach and dig. Roll- out trays, lazy susans and other storage solutions are out there to help. Deep drawers for pots and pans, cookware, or even dishes can keep heavy things down low and in easy access.

The people that use the kitchen are just as important to consider as the overall style itself. We are happy to design something beautiful for you, but if it’s not functional for you, we haven’t really done our job. We want to help you identify how the people in your life use the space. That way we can craft it to be both what you need and what you want, something functional, beautiful and uniquely yours.